


Opposites Attract

by Haberdasher



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Aromantic Sasha James, Asexual Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Bisexual Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Bisexual Sasha James, Coming Out, Gen, Jon Sims Bi Pride January 2021, Kiss-Averse Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, POV Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Pre-Canon, Sex-Averse Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:34:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28701507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haberdasher/pseuds/Haberdasher
Summary: Biace Jon and biaro Sasha talk about their respective inclinations during the workday. Written for jonsimsbipride for the prompt “Solidarity”, and also fits into aspecarchivesweek.
Relationships: Sasha James & Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Comments: 14
Kudos: 67
Collections: Aspec Archives Week, bi jon sims celebration





	Opposites Attract

Every day working for the Research department of the Magnus Institute was different than the last. Sometimes researching involved consulting old, esoteric books in the Institute’s library; sometimes it meant searching the darker, less reputable corners of the Internet; sometimes it meant long phone calls or in-person interviews with those who had evidence (or _claimed_ to have evidence) of the supernatural.

Today, as it happened, Jon’s work involved studying another man’s body.

The body in question belonged to Adam Arneson, member of a cult... trying to end the world, was it? Or just trying to kill a lot of people in strange, supernatural ways? The evidence was iffy either way, but some understanding of the cult’s true aims might-- _might_ \--be achieved through detailed analysis of the cryptic tattoos worn by members of its inner circle, including Arneson, who had also made the potential misstep of showing off said tattoos while on holiday at the beach.

So yes, Jon had his work monitor set to a close-up view of another man’s mostly unclothed body, and yes, it _was_ in fact for work purposes, thank you very much. But it wasn’t terribly surprising that somebody just passing by might not reach the same conclusion.

As it happened, that somebody just passing by turned out to be Sasha; Jon hadn’t even heard her approaching (though that said less about how quiet her footsteps had been and more about how focused Jon was on decoding the tattoo symbolism rather than on his surroundings) until she spoke up to say, “Enjoying the view there?”

Jon jumped a little at the sudden sound, and he could feel his face heating up--he’d never been one to blush easily, but then, this was an unusual occasion, and it might well be the exception that proves the rule (in the _original_ meaning of the phrase)... “No! I mean, er, perhaps a little bit, but not- not like _that_ , I don’t think.”

Sasha’s hand rested against her hip as her gaze darted between Jon’s face and his computer screen. “Define ‘like that.’”

“I mean, he’s an attractive enough man, sure, but I don’t want to- to kiss him, for instance, or, or even-”

“ _Bed_ him?” Sasha’s word choice seemed calculated, there, a wry smile forming on her face as she waited for Jon to elaborate.

“...that, yes. I’m not attracted to him in that way. But that doesn’t mean I can’t see that he’s good-looking, or even enjoy the thought of myself going on a date with him--well, if he wasn’t part of an evil murder cult, that is.”

“Yeah, that’d be enough to make anyone a hard pass in my book too, no matter how hot they were.” Sasha said, a slight nod accompanying her words. She drummed her fingers on Jon’s desk for a moment before adding, “But you _are_ into guys, then. Dating-wise, anyway.”

“Guys and girls, yes... anyone, really. I...” Jon looked at Sasha for a long moment, really _looked_ at her, as he tried his best to judge how she would react to his next words. He hadn’t come out to too many people over the years, but Sasha always seemed accepting enough--and she knew about Tim, and they were still best friends, right? “I’m bi. Well, biromantic, technically. And asexual.”

“Oh!”

Jon’s heart skipped a beat as he heard Sasha’s voice, as he noted the excitement in it but was unsure of the exact source of said excitement, as his mind filled with possibilities both positive and negative.

“Oh, I’m the other way around!” Sasha laughed a little at her own statement, and though Jon was still processing it, the implications of it, and of that laughter, were enough to bring a shaky smile to his face.

“So you, you understand. You’re like me.” Jon’s heart fluttered at the thought of it. He wasn’t sure anybody had really _understood_ before, though a few had tried, at least.

“Well, sort of. Like I said, it’s the other way around for me--bisexual, aromantic. So I’ve got no interest in being that guy’s girlfriend-” Sasha pointed in the direction of Jon’s computer monitor; Jon blinked a few times as he was suddenly reminded that there was still an image of a mostly-naked man currently displayed on his computer. “Or having candlelit dinners with him, or having a crush on him, any of that sappy stuff, but I _do_ want to-”

Sasha’s grin was growing with every word, and Jon didn’t terribly like the look of it, didn’t like where this sentence seemed to be headed.

“Do things you probably shouldn’t be discussing on the clock?”

Sasha blinked in surprise, pushing her glasses up a bit before responding. “I suppose, but where’s the harm in it, really?”

“You know Elias has cameras all around the Institute, right? There are probably microphones in them, too. Whatever you were about to say, imagine Elias listening to it.”

Sasha made a face. “Alright, fair enough.” Jon thought she might continue on the same topic of conversation for a minute there, but instead Sasha leaned in closer to the computer screen and added, “Who _is_ that guy, anyway?”

Jon let out a low sigh of relief. “He’s a high level member of the Serpent’s Fang. I’ve been trying to decode his tattoos, but they don’t seem to make much sense. See, that’s an ankh there, a symbol of life from Egypt, but right next to it is algiz, which is a Norse rune of protection...”

Sasha nodded along as Jon explained the bizarrely meshed symbolism of the cult’s tattoos, and as she kept listening, and as Jon thought about the conversation they’d just had, his anxiety about coming out to her evaporated, replaced with satisfaction and belonging and a soft warmth.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this, consider following me on tumblr at [haberdashing](https://haberdashing.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
